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AriBall takes a look at eight of the top prospects and upcoming rookies. Our scouting reports are below, based on Spring Training action. Keep in mind this is Spring Training, which does not always showcase the best a player can be. For players fighting for a spot on the MLB roster, however, performance often times does translate up to the Majors. Pitch selection, velocities, location, and throwing strikes are often in a player’s makeup and can be a peek at what they may eventually do in the Majors.
First, four interesting points from the 2010 Spring Training for players going through PitchF/X enabled stadiums:
• Whose fastball tailed the most? Brandon League, Mike Leake, Kevin Mulvey, Guillermo Mota, , David Pauley had the most. Jennry Mejia, Clayton Kershaw, Wade LeBlanc, and Brandon McCarthy were the most flat.
• Pitchers whose sliders had a large break: Ervin Santana, Bryan Bullington, Tommy Hanson, Jon Garland, Kyle Lohse. Those whose sliders broke the least: Brandon McCarthy, Doug Mathis, Vin Mazzaro, Lance Cormier.
• Charlie Haeger threw curves 80% of the time. The next closest was Brett Anderson who threw curves 35% of the time.
• The rare sinker pitchers included Kyle Lohse (31% of all pitches), Fausto Carmona (29%), Scott Linebrink (26%), and Jon Garland (23%). Jerry Blevins and Sean White also threw 18%.
Stephen Strassburg (RHP Nationals):
Threw fastball 93-99mph (81% of pitches), curveball 82-84 (14%). His fastball tails, and he keeps it inside and low to lefties. Strikes out batters much more often than the MLB average (1.21 K/IP compared to 0.77 avg). He also induces lots of groundballs.
Neftali Feliz – (RHP, Texas):
Threw fastball 94-100mph (40% of pitches), changeup 87-92 (11%), curveball 77-81 (8%), slider 75-78 (5%). Induces pop-ups and rarely line-drives. His fastball is one of the fastest out there, with 12% more spin the the MLB average. He also can control the fastball in a wide velocity range.
James Russell (LHP, Cubs):
Throws fastball 85-90mph (58% of pitches), slider 80-81 (32%), changeup 5%, curveball 5%. Throws first-pitch strikes 90% of the time, then nibbles (52% overall in zone). Good deception misses twice as many bats as average (41% vs 20% avg). Delivers from a high release point. His FB is slower than the MLB avg, but he gets 15% more spin on it.
Esmailin Caridad (RHP, Cubs):
Throws fastball 92-94mph (77% of pitches), slider 77-79 (23%). Throws strikes – 69% of all pitches. Induces pop-ups.
Justin Berg (RHP, Cubs):
Throws fastball 91-93mph (52% of all pitches), sinker 89-91 (27%), slider 82-85 (12%), changeup 82-85 (8%). WEAKNESSES: Allows line-drives often. HABITS: Throws first-pitch sinker more often than most pitchers at 41%. Throws strikes 10% less from the stretch (53% vs 63%). Throws sinkers 28% less frequently from the stretch (23% vs 33% of all pitches). Delivers from a high release point. Throws fewer pitches per batter than average - only 2.84 (3.83 is avg). Throws first-pitch strikes often (80%). FB has a big tailing and sinking action. Changeup can get flat.
Madison Bumgarner (LHP, Giants):
Throws fastball 88mph, an average 57% of pitches for strikes.
Chad Tracy (L, Cubs):
Strikes out looking often. Compact strikezone top-to-bottom, sprays to all fields. Swung at fastballs 13 times and did not get a hit or sac
Tyler Colvin (L, Cubs):
Hits well up/away in zone, although he strikes out often (one of the leaders in Spring Training with 16). Pulls the ball, and stands up for a high strikezone.
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